


Clad in dread, silence, and fangs; a name of terror echoes for centuries

by TFALokiwriter



Category: Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992)
Genre: 1890's, Anger, Angst, Apologies, Foreshadowing, M/M, Meta, accidental insult
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-07
Updated: 2020-08-07
Packaged: 2021-03-06 05:07:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,677
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25757836
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TFALokiwriter/pseuds/TFALokiwriter
Summary: It's a fairly simple wish, to be remembered, to have known they have lived, fought for something against a unusual foe.
Relationships: Dracula/Jonathan Harker
Comments: 4
Kudos: 24





	Clad in dread, silence, and fangs; a name of terror echoes for centuries

**Author's Note:**

> Dracula's last comment was inspired by 1931 Dracula, at first, I thought it was going to be a music video tribute but it turned out to be something else; https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4PUKwzTWX8s

"A hundred years from now, do you think the name Jonathan Harker and Count Dracula will be remembered?"

Dracula licked the blood off his finger looking toward the younger vampire then lifted a brow.

"The Romanian people will never forget us." Dracula reached a hand out then his long claws rested on the sides of the younger vampire's chin then smiled gently massaging with care the man's facial features.

"But to the outside world--"

"Yes." Dracula confessed, reluctantly. "We will be."

"I want a piece of me out there." Jonathan admitted, sorrowfully.

Dracula withdrew his hand with a frown.

"Mr Harker, are you not happy about making your life altering decision?" Dracula asked, curiously.

"Course, I am happy--" Jonathan sighed. "Count, I---I appreciate the thought of having saving children to carry my legacy on." Dracula became silent. "I want to be hearing the sound of pitter pattering through the house from time to time not screams of fear, running from hallway to hallway, the emptiness of not having a blood relative to carry my name on." Jonathan looked toward the older vampire. "The sound of children laughing--"

"All of which you relocate and make sure they don't remember the experience." Dracula pointed out.

"Holding a newborn that's mine!" It was quiet between them. "I am sorry, that came out wrong."

"You want to make a vampire?" Dracula asked. "That is what I am getting from you and I have never been more puzzled!"

"No! No. . no." Jonathan shook his hand. "I wouldn't dare condemn someone to this lifestyle."

"You didn't loudly say you were damning yourself to hell when you made the deal." Dracula lifted a brow. "Made the announcement to God," he lifted a hand up. "Making it quite clear to your dear companions of what life laid ahead of you."

Jonathan winced.

"Maybe I should have declined your request." Dracula continued, his grip on the handle of the cup grew tighter, continuing on with anger. "Just so you wouldn't be insulted by a lifestyle that is far more kind than being a human is. At least vampires burn out of love every day on the land of the living unlike humans, who just suffer when their end is not being given kindly. My way is kinder."

"How is sucking blood kind?" Jonathan was baffled, the memories of being feasted on by the three brides (and perhaps even Dracula as a human in his initial stay. He didn't have the answer for that) as they showered him with affection nagged at his mind.

"It's quick, there is no horrific terrifying wounds that frightens them, there is no pain and they fall with grace. Except," he waved a hand then smiled back quite fondly at a memorable bloodbath. "Except for my blood bath nights."

The reminder was quite horrific.

"I didn't mean to hurt your feelings that way, Count Dracula." Jonathan apologized.

"What do you mean to say?" Dracula asked as he hissed, baring his fangs, insulted from the amending to the previous comment. "There is no other way to take it at face value." he glared, pointedly, back at the younger man. "Be honest with me; do you regret putting aside your mortal life for your wife's mortal life?"

 _No, I don't,_ Jonathan thought.

"What I mean to say is, Count---"

Jonathan sighed, dipping his head down, his cup beside him, his forehead in his hands thinking over what he meant to say. It was a very long moment that Dracula waited patiently in for the younger vampire's clarification -- even as he suspected; Jonathan meant what he said -- in a way that only could be seen as the count was staring toward him. Dracula had that natural look to him; a stare in the direction of the observer. Even when the count wasn't staring, he were staring.

"That someone may be more madder than you and willing to make a massive army of vampires and take down every large city that humans flourish in." Dracula listened to the younger vampire leaning forward listening intently to what he had to say. "I chose the life of a vampire with my friends having my back and having a clear head."

"You had morals."

"Yes."

"And you're afraid that if you turn someone it will be the biggest mistake for the life style of a vampire that the world wouldn't recover from quickly enough."

"I am."

The count nodded in agreement; a action that surprised the younger vampire.

"That is a rational fear and I have taken out my own created vampires upon the goal being expressed." The vampire chuckled, darkly, looking upon the glass of blood. "My rule will be different."

The older vampire smiled, looking off quite distantly at his personal dream. It was the soft, distant, but peaceful look that Jonathan liked about the older vampire.

"How different will it be, Count Dracula?"

"Humans and vampires living in co-existence, one decides they want to be dined upon against the warnings of residents, and the other dines on the meal."

"So . . . Not too different from now?"

"The only difference there is having civil rights and not being hunted down because we drink blood, Mr Harker." Dracula said as he shifted his attention, suddenly, back on to the younger vampire. "You want a legacy."

"T-t-t-t-That's the core of it." Jonathan said.

Dracula leaned back, his fingers rattled the arm rest, thinking.

"I know a writer who loves writing about terrific and sinister areas."

He leaned the side of his cheek against his hand looking back with a smile while rubbing his chin, deviously, at a fond memory.

"A scenic writer." Jonathan said.

Dracula nodded, smiling, his attention back on the younger vampire sliding his hand off his cheek clasping his hands into his lap.

"His gut is always in the scene. Always. In fact, it's the reason why I didn't bother with him a few years ago in London in a forest telling a campfire story."

"You went camping?" Jonathan asked, surprised.

"It was the worst camping trip I had in centuries." The count shuddered then looked toward his companion's confused look. "Everyone goes camping. Why shouldn't I?"

"I just. . ." Jonathan started. "I can't. . . I don't imagine you as the person who likes camping, voluntarily."

"Elisabeta and I used to sit in front of a lake under the nearby tree in the early mornings, when the grass was covered in moisture, when the air was light and gentle, the brush of wind, and sometimes we camped there away from the castle. Just the two of us until dawn arrived after three days."

Dracula became fond, again, then it became a frown.

"That camping with Stoker and the other campers is memorable in one way: everyone, almost everyone, wore a cross and my only resort was in a very old dog to feed on until the trip was over." He looked about the floor looking back as his brows furrowed and hunched together. "He wrote a entire novel once the terrible camping trip. I think it were called--what was it?" The older vampire frowned. "Spook?"

"Spooktascular?" Jonathan guessed.

"That's it!" Dracula snapped his fingers.

Jonathan chuckled as it all made sense as Dracula stared at him, dumbfounded, at his reaction.

"The novel was off the shelves and purged from existence because it was so bad." Jonathan said.

"This Stoker--" he held a finger up then pointed at the younger vampire. "Jonathan, if you want yourself a legacy then you'll have to tolerate him twisting the story so it can sell."

"Then I'll do with that."

Dracula smiled, withdrawing his hand.

"You will have a far reaching legacy, my dear Jonathan. And no one, I believe, will believe that such a figure as Count Dracula is a vampire."

"But to those who do, you'll be feared forever." Jonathan said.

"Not just a count." Dracula replied so Jonathan lifted his brow.

"Oh, who also will be feared forever?"

Dracula held his glass up for a toast as he smiled.

"A blood sucking lawyer." Dracula smirked. "Who knows?" The count had a shrug. "Someday, your legacy will outshine mine with the tale being retold in moving paintings that run without sound until magic seeps in and music enters the story." he lowered the cup to the table then droned on. "And oh, the wonderful voices that may follow."

"Count," Jonathan started with a laugh. "If that day happens then I might just have to drink from a child."

"I will hold you to it." Dracula said with a nod. "You cannot loop hole your way out of it should the time come, my dear Jonathan."

Again, Jonathan laughed then drunk from his cup.

"Where does your friend live, anyway?" Jonathan asked. "I was under the impression that asides to the gypsies and Renfield that you and your brides didn't have any friends."

"The United Kingdom." Dracula replied. "Your reputation in the public mind will live as mine has lived for centuries to come."

Jonathan smirked.

"Let's hurry and get packing." Jonathan withdrew the chair. "A year doesn't last forever!"

Jonathan was the first of the vampires to depart the table with glass in hand. The surprise on Dracula's face faded from his fourth bride's unexpected rush then it softened to affection and admiration as he took a sip from his cup. If anything were to change then he was going to stipulate the comment about love being left in.

Dracula got up from the seat, stepped aside, then slid the chair in. _It doesn't last forever_ , the count agreed. The older vampire followed after the younger man nearly stumbling over the misplaced chair then slid it back in, still holding the cup above his head with no spills, then followed Jonathan.

By the end of 1897 the names Dracula, Mina, Jonathan, Van Helsing, Lucy were all going to be known around the globe.

And Jonathan Harker was rather happy for how it turned out in the end unlike the count.

It made his trade the more worth while.

**The End.**


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